Mammary Tumours And Green Beans

[Lozzy wozzy]

Two of my girls have developed mammary tumours one of whom has had a lumpectomy the other is too old to make it worth the risk of an operation. They are both rescue pigs from different times, I have five girls and Sheldon, their leader. When talking to the vet the only reason he could find for their condition was the possibility that they were eating too many green beans. They were eating a bag of beans a day between them, and were passionate about eating them. Has anyone else come across this? I have totally cut out the green beans, and as they run free on grass all day, I just feed selective pellets in the evening with the odd spring green if the weather has been to wet to go out.

 

[helen105281]

I have never heard that before. All veg should be fed in moderation though but I can't see how green beans could cause mammary tumours.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[momof4boys]

I've never heard of that either! But I find all sorts of contradicting information...I was just googling and literally half of the websites said don't feed green beans they are poisonous and half say they are OK. All it said for mammary tumors is spay sows at 4-5 months of age to prevent it..... All too confusing!

 

[Elwickcavies]

I doubt it's the green beans causing mammary tumours. I feed my lot green beans now and then. They are certainly not poisonous, but as Helen says, everything in moderation.

 

[momof4boys]

I never fed mine green beans but I think I'll give it a try now

 

[Briony_S]

I had a girl with mamory tumours a few years back but although I feed green beans its not every day. I would think it is genetic rather than down to beans

 

[Abi_nurse]

There is no evidence (that i know of) which suggests feeding green beans will cause this. Mammary masses are unfortunatly (like in humans) a disease which we know little about the cause apart from possibly genetics. I would only think that the way to lessen the likelyhood of them developing them is to have the sow spayed (before getting older), but this is far too big an op to be doing all the time on piggies. HTH

x.

 

[Wiebke]

I have lost one of my middle aged piggies to a very irregular heartbeat in a high risk mammory tumor operation at the beginning of this year, but I feed green beans only in moderation and this is the first time I was faced with a mammary tumor in one of my piggies.

Personally, I doubt that there is a connection between green beans and tumors; I agree with Aby nurse that the link is much more likely to be rather genetic than food based.

 

[piggyme234]

I'm sure beans don't cause cancer or some tabloid paper would be encouraging us all not to eat them. Giving them to piggies in large quantities can sometimes cause bloat but I don't think they are poisonous. Mammary lumps are not always tumours and can just be cysts or fatty lumps. How old is your older girl?

 

[Lozzy wozzy]

My older girl is about 4 and a half. The lump is irregular and the vet said the chances of removing this type successfully was low. Also she is a very nervous pig, prone to stress out at the slightest thing. She has been running around with her lump for about 6 months, and it has not changed at all, and does not appear to bother her, she is popcorn ing about on the grass with the others at the moment!

 

[piggyme234]

That's good. Sounds like she is fine and it is probably just a fatty lump or something else benign. My Louisa had a lump removed a few months ago as it started to grow but it thankfully was benign. What are your girls called?

 

[Lozzy wozzy]

I've got five girls and Sheldon. Girls are Siouxie with the lump, Gingiepig (now without lump), Honeybunny( in the photo), Snoopy and Mushi.